White Hat Hacker Certifications: Which Ones Do Your Employees Need?

Like it or not, your company needs hackers. Hacking is the process of exploring security breaches in computer systems. Malicious hackers penetrate systems without authorization. They post unwanted content on websites, steal data, or cause temporary or even permanent damage. These are the people you have to watch out for. They are called black hat hackers, in honor of the villains in cowboy movies.

What do the Different Color Hacker Hats Mean?

Ethical, or white hat hackers, have the system owner's authority to access a system. They protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of IT systems. They discover when a black hat hacker has exploited a vulnerability in a system and apply the necessary patch to make the system safe again. White hat hackers use their skills for the benefit of the company.

There is a third type of hat, the gray hat hacker. A gray hat hacker may discover a vulnerability and use it to penetrate a system, but will neither cause damage to it nor draw the vulnerability to the attention of anyone else so that the threat may be eliminated. Businesses hire white hats to protect them from black and gray hats.

Let's look at the benefits of training computer staff for formal qualifications related to ethical hacking. Whether you have a large business or a small one, protecting your business and your customers from hackers should be your top priority.

Benefits of Having Certified Staff

According to the findings of a Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) study conducted in 2010, 91 percent of IT managers interviewed considered certifications to be an effective indication of a candidate's value to the organization. Of this 91 percent, 80 percent believe that certified personnel work more efficiently and contribute the most toward team performance.

A certificate distinguishes an individual who is keen to get a computing job from one who is dedicated. An IT certification also shows discipline and determination; they don't hand certificates out to anyone who wants one. Earning a certification is expensive and time-consuming. Exemplary workers tend to attract other exemplary workers to your company. You end up with a committed work force that bounces ideas off each other. They derive job satisfaction from feeding off each other's positive energy and doing excellent work together.

Relevant Cybersecurity Certifications

CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst+. This international, vendor-neutral cybersecurity certification applies behavioral analytics to IT security. It shows that the holder can identify and combat malware, as well as advanced persistent threats (ATCs).

Certified ethical hacker (CEH) - The purpose of this EC Council credential is three-fold: to establish and govern minimum standards for ethical hacking professionals; to demonstrate that the holder meets or exceeds the minimum requirements; and to support ethical hacking as a self-regulating profession.

Licensed penetration tester (LPT) - This is the bread and butter of the ethical hacker. A penetration tester uses the same techniques that a black hat hacker uses to gain unauthorized access to a network or system with the intent of compromising it. The purpose of a penetration, or 'pen,' test is to test the information system's security implementation as specified in the company's security policy.

EC-Council Certified Security Analyst (ECSA) - This is an advanced CEH certification and means that the holder is an expert in pen testing. The test involves submission of a pen testing report. It is a more respected qualification.

Is Black Hat Hacking Likely to Impact my Business?

Black hat hacking is a growth industry, and the consequences of a cyberattack can be devastating to an organization or to the world at large. Delta Air Lines, the second largest airline in the world, was forced to suspend operations because of a worldwide computer outage in 2016 triggered by black hat hackers in China.

In May 2017, the 'Wanna Cry' ransomware attack crippled hospitals in the National Health Service in the United Kingdom and affected nearly 100 countries all over the world. But big businesses and organizations are not the only ones who need to worry. Wanna Cry infected home computers and small businesses as well.

Our Mission

Infotec is committed to providing training excellence to companies interested in improving the performance of their people and their organization. We deliver a variety of training programs designed to improve the performance of business professionals, and the organizations they serve.